First-round interviews begin for top candidates for
principalship
Gilroy – The first round of interviews begin Monday for the top seven candidates vying for the principalship of Gilroy High School.
A panel consisting of 26 individuals representing the various factions within the community and the Gilroy Unified School District will determine which candidates receive a nod and who is shown the door.
“Tentatively, by the end of Tuesday, we should have a pretty good idea as to who our candidate is,” said Assistant Superintendant of Human Resources, Linda Piceno. “I feel like we have some good strong candidates.”
About 25 people applied for the job, and seven survived the initial paper eliminations – a resume screening based largely on experience.
The position opened in late June after Bob Bravo resigned to accept another job in the Antioch Unified School District.
Despite the short timeline for finding a replacement, the applicant pool is deeper than it was three years ago, Piceno said.
“I think Ed–join has something to do with it,” she explained. “Three years ago (it) was not as pervasive.”
The education Web site has expanded and become one of the primary resources job seekers search for positions in California.
The dissemination of pink slips throughout some school districts and instability in the top offices may have an impact on the applicant pool as well, Piceno offered.
Candidates will rotate through three activities Monday including a writing test, an interview panel and a simulation panel.
“You see different facets of their skills, personalities and their values (this way),” Piceno said. “Being a principal is difficult. But to be the principal of the one high school in a district – you’re in the spotlight – and that’s a lot of pressure.”
The panel of 26 will be broken down into three sub–panels balancing the number of GHS teachers, parents and students with community members at large, GUSD board members and classified employees.
“That was the challenge,” Piceno said. “Not only us getting 26 panelists to be available on one day, but putting together three balanced panels.”
Most of the individuals who wanted to participate in the process made it onto the panels, however, some who could not make the Monday and Tuesday interviews due to scheduling conflicts or late requests may be asked to participate for the hiring of the Mount Madonna Continuation School principal’s job.
There are six parents representing four of the major GHS parent groups on campus as well as the various ethnic groups. None of the six parent panelists are employed by the district.
“It’s important to know who’s who and who they’re representing,” Piceno explained.
The idea is to bring as many perspectives to the table as possible, she said.
“The fact that we have 24 people who are giving up their time to come in … it shows that people care,” Piceno said. “That also sets a standard and gives a message to the candidates that our community takes education seriously.”
Panelists in the interview group will ask each applicant 15 questions supplied by the district.
The simulation group is instructed. Interviewees are presented with a situation such as running a meeting between parents and GHS staff members, which they must lead and resolve. This task shows how candidates respond under pressure.
Afterwards panelists from both groups convene and discuss each applicant’s strengths and weaknesses in depth.
“Everybody has the opportunity to say, ‘Yes, I agree with that,’ or ‘No, I don’t,” Piceno said.
Candidates receive a mark of one, two or three from panelists. Those who receive mostly ones move on to the next level, and applicants who receive primarily threes are shown the exit.
“You don’t have to send anyone on,” Piceno said. “We only send quality people on to the next level. You’re sending them on to the next level, you’re not saying this person should be the next principal of GHS.”
If any quality candidates appear from the mix, they move on to the next round of interviews on Tuesday.
A final panel meets with those applicants before making a recommendation to the executive team which consists of all GUSD four superintendents. Ultimately, Superintendent Edwin Diaz has the final say.
The interview process should last all day Monday, but they are not one–sided.
“(The candidates) are interviewing us just as much as we are interviewing them,” Piceno said. “It’s a two way process Monday … I feel good about the process. It’s never let us down.”
